Hopefully all of western Montana by now is aware of the Montana Department of Transportation’s (MDT’s) plan to install a roundabout on Highway 93 between Stevensville and Victor at the junction of Bell’s Crossing. For those who may be unfamiliar with that location, it is where Ravalli Electric Co-op recently built their new facility, and where a new gravel pit business has set up shop on the west side of Hwy 93. Also at this location, but on the east side of 93, is an electrical substation that has been functioning for decades.
The Bell Crossing intersection, 5.4 miles south of the stop light at the Stevensville cutoff and 1.8 miles north of the stop light at Victor, is currently “controlled” by a flashing yellow light. This intersection has been the scene of multiple accidents over the years. The frequency and severity of these incidents has increased significantly since the expansion of Highway 93 into a five-lane thoroughfare with a seventy-mile-per-hour speed limit.
Naturally, weather conditions, especially fog, which frequently settles around this section of highway, compound the risks presented by the described intersection configuration.
A visit to the MDT “corridor planning” website reveals an absence of this proposed project. The Hwy 93 projects which do appear here are Missoula to Florence, Whitefish, Ninepipe corridor feasibility study, Polson corridor study and the Polson- Sommers corridor study. That’s correct, there is NOTHING regarding a “study” regarding plans to put Montana’s first- ever four-lane roundabout to be placed in the middle of a seventy mile per hour, five-lane highway. A highway that is the ONLY north-south corridor for EVERY resident of the Bitterroot Valley and the main commerce artery for skiers headed for Lost Trail, products coming from Missoula, and products destined for Salmon or Challis areas in Idaho.
It would seem logical that such a major project would merit a “corridor study” program. Instead, as confirmed by the MDT website, the DECISION has already been rendered as recorded in a study released in 2022. Meaning the “public involvement events” are what is referred to as a dog-and-pony-show. Citizens who have participated in these types of government sponsored meetings in the past have learned that, in spite of overwhelming objections to the “proposed” government project, the government’s proposal was going forward.
Citizens raise their concerns and confusion over the government ignoring the public input gathered at the public meeting, which was the advertised purpose of the meeting they are told, “Your name is on the list of participants in the public meetings. You have participated in the public process.” In other words; You walked through the door we opened for you, your concerns have been noted and dismissed. Move along!
From the MDT website:
“In 2024, the project team will select a design build team, and then work to finalize right-of-way agreements and the two-lane roundabout design. An open house will be held later this year to share additional details with the public and gather feedback. Updates about the open house will be provided once it has been scheduled.”
“Construction is anticipated to begin in spring or summer of 2025, weather and other factors permitting. Updates about impacts to traffic will be provided as construction approaches. MDT will provide educational material on two-lane roundabouts before construction starts, to ensure that drivers are prepared for this traffic configuration.”
Note the phrase: “An open house will be held later this year to share additional details”
Further research uncovers a study by the MDT entitled “Traffic Signal Warrant Study US 93 & Bell Crossing – Victor MT, dated July 20. 2022. This study identifies Highway 93 as “a north-south principal arterial (non- interstate)”, and concludes: “Based on our observations and analysis we recommend installing a roundabout at this intersection currently.” The data contained within this study indicates that the study of the Highway 93 roundabout was ongoing for at least a full year before the concluding report was produced.
Information on the MDT website seems to confirm what many residents of the Bitterroot are saying after attending the MDT hosted meetings on the 93 roundabout; “The decision was made BEFORE the MDT opened the “public participation” process.”
This study included accident history at the 93, Bells Crossing intersection for the five-year period beginning June 15th, 2015 and concluding June 15th, 2020. During this time period a total of six accidents occurred at this location. Of those six, three were classified as Personal Injury (PI) or Suspected Serious Injury (SSI). All three of the PI or SSI accidents, according to this study, resulted from failure to yield right-of-way to “a north-bound vehicle already in the intersection.” The remaining three accidents all resulted in Property Damage Only (PDO). Two of these remaining three were said to have resulted from Blowing Sand and Dirt, or Fog and Smoke. In other words; poor visibility.
A roundabout “may” solve the issues causing the PI and SSI accidents, yet it also may exacerbate the accidents caused by poor visibility. Most of us remember the accident just a few years ago that occurred at this intersection in heavy fog to which the Victor volunteer fire department responded. Due to the heavy fog, another motorist slammed into the responder’s vehicle while the emergency lights were flashing. Only the quick reflexes of the First Responders saved further injuries and possibly lives. It is the opinion of many people who drive this portion of highway going both north and south on a daily basis, in all weather conditions, that a roundabout will certainly add to the danger of traversing this intersection.
Ravalli County residents brought a number of concerns to my attention while researching this article that seem valid. Among those are; “What about the Semi-trucks hauling pup- trailers?” “How are the REC trucks, hauling up to sixty-foot poles behind a standard service truck, going to navigate a roundabout without putting other drivers at risk? “What about the electrical substation located at this intersection?” “How are the many oversized loads going to navigate a roundabout?” These represent just a few of the concerns citizens of Ravalli County have about a roundabout being installed on what is now a five- lane highway. The concern of weather conditions compounds these concerns and provides a common thread through each one.
When citizens raised these concerns at the public hearings, they said they were left with the impression that they, along with their concerns, were simply dismissed.
The concern about the substation was shared by those who conducted the project study. They offer a possible solution in their concluded study; “Construction is likely to be more complicated at the current intersection’s location due to the proximity of the electrical substation located immediately in the northeast quadrant of the intersection. This roundabout would have to be shifted from its currently location to the southwest quadrant in order to avoid impacting the substation. However, unlike traffic signal control the eastbound/westbound legs do not have to be offset in order to line up with the roundabout. Installation of a roundabout would include a splitter island on the east leg approach, this splitter island would have to be opened to allow access to the electrical substation unless the approach could be relocated.” (Typos included in original text)
Did you catch that? “This roundabout would have to be shifted from its current location to the southwest quadrant in order to avoid impacting the substation.” (Typo corrected) The report goes on to state: “However, unlike traffic signal control the eastbound/westbound legs do not have to be offset in order to line up with the roundabout. Installation of a roundabout would include a splitter island on the east leg approach, this splitter island would have to be opened to allow access to the electrical substation unless the approach could be relocated.”
One who is familiar with this intersection would ask; Why do these engineers believe that the east and west bound approaches need to be relocated to accommodate a traffic light? The eastbound approach may need to be modified slightly to line-up exactly with the westbound, yet it would require much less effort than “shifting” the entire roundabout “to the southwest”. Shifting the roundabout in that direction seems to mandate the modification of both the eastbound and westbound approaches and possibly the entire highway to accommodate this “shift”.
This “shift” may also impact the bike path that runs parallel to Highway 93? That issue is not addressed in the rendered study.
The overbearing flavor of this “study” by the MDT is the intent to JUSTIFY a roundabout in the Bitterroot. The study does so by disparaging traffic light control. Traffic lights, with warning lights, are typical for the entire stretch of Highway 93 from Flathead County to the Idaho border. Lights are efficient, virtually risk-free to all vehicles traversing the area regardless of length, and possibly above all other considerations, lights are what is EXPECTED by the drivers.
Roundabouts are foreign to most drivers in Montana, and a source of frustration to those who encounter them in the few locations where they were “justified” and installed.
States who were convinced to justify the expense of installing roundabouts, are now reaching the conclusion that these "solutions to traffic flow" have failed to deliver on the promises upon which they were sold.
It’s time for the MDT to gain from the experience of others. Making oneself available to lessons learned at others expense equates to wisdom. Experience may well be the best teacher, the caveat is, as long as it’s someone else’s experience! The alternative is the most expensive teacher you will ever pay. Most of those bills will leave scars.
Be wise Montana. Stick to what you know and the proven track record of WHAT WORKS! When the government acts in defiance of the owner’s (the citizens) wishes it very rarely ends well for either party.
A petition denouncing the MTD’s plan to install a roundabout at Bell’s Crossing is circulating throughout the valley. If you ask around you will likely find someone who knows where to find it.
Comments